The present invention relates in general to an ornamental cover for a fastening element for clothing articles such as shirt or blouse cuff buttons and the like, and more particularly, to such an ornamental cover which is adapted to be easily and readily mounted and demounted on the button in a manner which prevents inadvertent loss of the cover to achieve a unique ornamental appearance.
Ornamental button covers have been known for quite some time and have taken on a variety of constructions. These known button covers are generally formed from two elements, namely, a cover having an open side for receiving the button and a closure plate for retaining the cover in secured relationship to the button while being worn. Button covers of this type are known from Goodwin, U.S. Pat. No. 581,111; Armbruster, U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,654; Ryan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,601; Darvie, U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,230; Levine, U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,231; Shubart, U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,349; Hocq, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,313; Torrini, U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,731; and Szedzinski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,356.
Button covers of the aforementioned type have had traditional application as a decorative accessory for male shirts that when applied over the cuff buttons, simulate the presence of cuff links. The advantage of these button covers, with respect to a traditional cuff link, resides in that they can be used in conjunction with any kind of shirt, without requiring the characteristic pair of button holes necessary when using cuff links. Moreover, these button covers may be used on women's blouse cuffs, as well as other locations for buttons when desired to produce an aesthetically attractive effect.
There is known from Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,336, a button cover of the aforementioned type also constructed from a cap and a closure plate. The closure plate is provided with a large central hole communicating with a V-shaped opening forming a pair of projecting legs. In use, the closure plate is slid between the button and shirt cuff so as to receive the button fastening threads within the central hole after they pass through the V-shaped opening. At this time, the cover is closed over the button by hinge action in the direction of placement of the closure plate. That is, the cover is movable between its opened and closed position in the direction of insertion of the closure plate. As a consequence, in the event of inadvertent opening of the cover, the weight of the cover has the tendency to act in the direction of removal of the closure plate from about the button fastening threads, thereby resulting in loss of the button cover. In addition, as the V-shaped opening is relatively large in comparison to the button fastening threads, there is nothing to hold the closure plate in position should the cover open during use. These disadvantages inherent in the button cover of Anderson, are also inherent in the button covers of the aforementioned patents.
There is also known from Hardin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,791 a button guard for protecting clothing buttons during cleaning operations. The button guard is constructed as a cylindrical canister closed at one end and having a removable cap at the other. The side wall of the canister is provided with a longitudinal slot communicating with a peripheral V-shaped opening to allow the button guard to slide over the button fastening threads such that the button is completely enclosed within the cylinder upon placement of the cap. The button guard of Hardin, unlike those previously discussed, has no ornamental value and is strictly used to protect the button during the cleaning operation.